The team want to get accustomed to conditions at a venue where they play two big games

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-20253:47

Chopra: India would want to go a step further in the home World Cup

India Women will launch their World Cup preparation with a skill-based week-long conditioning camp in Visakhapatnam starting August 25.The venue for the camp is strategic, given only Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Sneh Rana among the squad members have the experience of having played at the ACA-VDCA Stadium previously, in 2014.India are slated to play two big matches in Visakhapatnam: against South Africa (October 9) and Australia (October 12).India’s lack of experience at certain venues, like Visakhapatnam, Guwahati and Indore, has been a big talking point in the lead-up to their campaign.Navi Mumbai’s inclusion as Bengaluru’s replacement is seen as a welcome step, given the players’ familiarity with the venue, having played there regularly over the past three-four years in front of packed houses, both in international cricket as well in the Women’s Premier League.Originally scheduled to take place entirely in Bengaluru, the training sessions had to be relocated after the Karnataka State Cricket Association failed to secure police clearance for hosting matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.All members of the World Cup squad, along with the reserves and the India A team selected for warm-up fixtures, are expected to participate.The camp will culminate with two intra-squad day-night practice matches, before the team flies out to New Chandigarh for the ODI series against Australia starting September 16.After the Australia series, the Indian team will arrive in Bengaluru to play two World Cup warm-ups, against England (September 25) and New Zealand (September 27) before flying out to Guwahati for their opening fixture against Sri Lanka on September 30.

For two seasons, signing Arda Guler looked like it might have been a mistake by Real Madrid. There were, in fact, reports that they really didn't want him in the first place, and that he was instead only brought to Santiago Bernabeu because Barcelona were so keen on signing 'The Turkish Messi' from Fenerbahce. Fast-forward, though, and that assumption now seems massively misguided.

Over the past few months, Guler has become indispensable to Xabi Alonso – and Kylian Mbappe. Rather than producing Messi-esque moments, Guler has taken on a midfield role more akin to his former team-mate and mentor, Mesut Ozil. The results have been extremely positive, as while Mbappe continues to work on his on-field relationships with fellow superstars Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, he has found a player in Guler who can provide him with the final pass and ensure that he at least keeps up his end of the bargain by banging in goal after goal.

Getty ImagesBarca hijacked

When Guler first broke onto the scene as a teenage prodigy in Turkey, it was Barca – along with Arsenal – who were most routinely linked with his signature. The Blaugrana lacked a creative player of his ilk, and there was a feeling in Catalunya that Guler could be developed into a star of the future alongside the club's homegrown talents. 

In early 2023, Barca club president Joan Laporta went on record promising that the deal was all-but done – with the condition that Guler would not arrive until the start of the following campaign. 

“Today [Barca sporting director] Deco was in Istanbul,” said Laporta. "La Liga allows us to carry out operations for next season without impacting ‘Financial Fair Play’. Arda Guler is a very talented player who Deco likes a lot, and we are trying to close the operation."

And then Madrid stepped in. Los Blancos insist that they had their eye on Guler for months before Barca made their move, but their Clasico rivals weren't so convinced. Madrid offered an initial €20 million (£17m/$22m), with the promise of another €10m in add-ons, and ensured Guler that he would be given minutes in the first team from day one. Laporta later came out, in very Laporta style, and insisted that it would have been a mistake to sign Guler anyway.

"We moved away from the Guler operation because of the magnitude it was reaching. We thought it would be a mistake on our part," he said after Madrid announced the teenager's signing. "There are more players that I think we can get without entering such a bidding war.

"We could have come to compete for Guler, but we decided not to. We have a certain line and we don't cross it. Neither with Arda nor with other players who want to come to Barca."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMade to wait

When Guler arrived into the Spanish capital, his quality on the ball could not be denied, but there were clearly physical limitations given the stage of his development, and perhaps unsurprisingly he swiftly picked up an injury which forced him to watch from the Bernabeu stands for months before he was eventually handed his debut in January 2024. Even then, though, Carlo Ancelotti seemed unconvinced.

"He did an hour well but obviously he is not at his best physically," the then-Madrid boss said. "The important thing was for him to get used to playing with the team, to show his quality. You have to be patient. He showed the quality he has in the first half. He has personality and character, it’s true. That’s a good thing. He stands out for the quality he has above all, but character is important to do well at Real Madrid."

Guler was subsequently made to wait for more opportunities, with Luka Modric preferred to him on a number of occasions while Bellingham thrived in the other advanced midfield role. The Turkey international did score six goals in his final seven La Liga appearances of the season as Ancelotti rotated in a bid to win the Champions League after sealing the league title, but that did little to convince the legendary Italian coach of Guler's capabilities, and he was trusted to start just 18 games across all competitions in 2024-25, averaging just 41 minutes per appearance.

Getty Images SportImpressive numbers

Alonso has, by contrast, had no such reservations and has instead made Guler a crucial part of his set-up from his very first games in charge at the Club World Cup. The ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss brought the playmaker on at half-time in Madrid's opening game against Al-Hilal, and he subsequently remained in the line up for the rest of their run to the semi-finals.

That faith has continued into the 2025-26 campaign, where Guler has started 14 of Madrid's 16 games in all competitions thus far, returning three goals and six assists. When you consider his performances for Turkey in World Cup qualifying, and he has totalled 15 goal contributions in around 1,700 minutes on the pitch.

Within La Liga, Guler's average of 0.91 goal contributions every 90 minutes for Madrid puts him in the 98th percentile within the division, while the 40 chances he has created in all competitions makes him the leader among players in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.

Alonso has also called on Guler to improve the defensive side of his game, and the numbers suggest he is well on his way to doing so. His 0.74 interceptions per 90 minutes are in the 74th percentile among attacking midfielders, while his tackles won, 1.78, puts him in the 84th percentile. Those numbers are hardly elite, but they aren't bad either – especially for a team that consistently has more of the ball than their opponents and has a real desire to win it back as quickly as possible. 

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AFPStrong connection

Perhaps most important for Madrid's chances of success in the coming months, however, is Guler's connection with Mbappe. The Frenchman and Vinicius might profile as a devastating attacking duo, but they are seldom on the same wavelength, and that can lead to promising attacks breaking down when the pair try to combine.

By comparison, Guler and Mbappe have developed far more of a connection. All six of the Turkey midfielder's assists this season have been for Mbappe, and Guler has spoken of how they "understand each other very well," while being compared to another devastating duo of recent Madrid past.

“I like the comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil and Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler," the 20-year-old said when asked whether he can replicate Ozil, who assisted goals for Ronald on 39 occasions during their time together at the Bernabeu. "They’ve achieved great things, but significant success is always achieved by a team, never just two players."  

Guler's ability to pick a pass has helped Mbappe maintain his central position far more this season, with the Frenchman much more keen to combine with Madrid's No.15 rather than edge away from Guler's position on the right of the midfield three and towards his favoured left-hand side. As such, Alonso's Madrid look much more balanced than they did under Ancelotti last term.

تحصل منتخب كرواتيا على بطاقة التأهل إلى منافسات بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026، مساء الجمعة بعدما خاض مباراته ضد نظيره جزر فارو.

واستضاف منتخب كرواتيا خصمه جزر فارو، في الجولة قبل الأخيرة من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى النسخة المقبلة من كأس العالم، حيث حقق أصحاب الأرض فوزًا بثلاثة أهداف لهدف.

🟣🎥تقرير خاص | تأهلت كرواتيا إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 للمرة السابعة في تاريخها بعد فوزها 3 – 1 على منتخب جزر فارو
🎙️تقرير | بلال قيزة @BilalGuiza pic.twitter.com/x8OEHThgDh — beIN SPORTS الإخبارية (@beINSPORTSNews) November 14, 2025

تقدم جيزا دافيد توري بهدف لصالح جزر فارو في الدقيقة 16، قبل أن يحرز يوشكو جفارديول هدف التعادل لمنتخب كرواتيا، في الدقيقة 23.

وفي الدقيقة 56، تمكن منتخب كرواتيا من تسجيل الهدف الثاني عن طريق بيتار موسى، في حين عزز نيكولا فلاسيتش تفوق أصحاب الأرض بعدما سجل الهدف الثالث في الدقيقة 70.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد منتخب كرواتيا إلى 19 نقطة في صدارة المجموعة الثانية عشر، بينما تجمد رصيد جزر فارو عند 12 نقطة في المركز الثالث.

وحصل منتخب كرواتيا بذلك على بطاقة التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026، ليصبح ثالث المتأهلين من قارة أوروبا بعد كل من إنجلترا وفرنسا.

The Lord’s-based Hundred franchise will continue to be known as London Spirit following the sale of a 49% stake to the Silicon Valley consortium known as the “Tech Titans”, with former England performance director Mo Bobat announced as the incoming director of cricket.MCC has been in discussions with its new equity partner for some time and is expected to unveil new team branding – possibly including the club’s famous egg-and-bacon colours – ahead of the 2026 season. But they have opted to keep the name as part of an identity that reflects “the capital’s energy, diversity, and cricketing heritage”.Bobat’s appointment is the first significant move by any of the Hundred teams after six of the eight equity sale deals were signed off by the ECB last month. Bobat, who will retain his role in the IPL as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s director of cricket, is set to join up with Spirit from October.Related

• Andy Flower replaces Justin Langer as London Spirit head coach

• Titans land at Lord's as London Spirit sink to new low

• Warner, Spirit take spoils despite Bairstow fire

“It’s an honour to join London Spirit at such an exciting time,” Bobat said. “The opportunity to shape the cricketing future of this franchise, working with MCC and our new partners, the Tech Titans, is incredibly exciting. I’m looking forward to building something special – on and off the field.”London Spirit chairman, Julian Metherell, said: “Today marks a significant moment for London Spirit. Mo Bobat brings unmatched expertise and vision to the role of Director of Cricket, and we’re thrilled to welcome him. At the same time, retaining the London Spirit name reflects our belief in the identity that’s been built – one that resonates with the capital, our fans, and our values. We now look ahead to a new era, with fresh energy and clear purpose.”London Spirit men, currently coached by Justin Langer, lost their opening game of the 2025 season after being bowled out for 80 in front of their new owners – but bounced back to record victory against Welsh Fire at the weekend.

Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiles match-winning 38 as hosts hold their nerve

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Aug-2025Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiled a superb match-winning innings of 38 not out under intense pressure to carry Gloucestershire to an impressive three-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.Making only his third List-A appearance, Boorman struck two fours and two sixes and staged an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 35 in 18 balls with Craig Miles, who helped himself to a brace of sixes in making 18 not out as Gloucestershire reached their victory target of 286 with nine balls to spare.Gloucestershire appeared to be cruising when James Bracey compiled an eye-catching 96 from 106 balls and staged an opening stand of 105 with Cameron Bancroft, who contributed 40. But seamer Alex Green turned the tide back in Leicestershire’s favour, taking 5-52, dismissing both openers and dangermen Ben Charlesworth and Jack Taylor to set up a tense finale.Peter Handscomb could count himself unlucky to finish on the losing side, Leicestershire’s skipper raising a brilliant 107 from 125 balls with nine fours and a six and sharing in a substantial partnership of 115 for the fifth wicket with Ben Cox, who contributed a run-a-ball 61, as the Foxes recovered from 76 for 4 to post 285 for 7.Liam Trevaskis produced a hard-hitting 30 not out as the visitors added 61 runs in the final five overs, but Gloucestershire seamer Josh Shaw excelled with the new ball, returning figures of 3 for 40 to keep last season’s beaten semi-finalists in check.Gloucestershire’s decision to bowl first was justified when Shaw claimed 3 for 20 with the new ball to reduce the Foxes to 22 for 3. The Yorkshireman bowled Rishi Patel between bat and pad without scoring, had Sol Budinger held at deep third via a top-edged cut and then had Lewis Hill caught at the wicket in the act of cutting, at which point he had dismantled Leicestershire’s top order in the space of 15 deliveries from the Ashley Down Road end.Having mustered just three boundaries in the powerplay, the visitors were under duress in the face of variable bounce on a slow pitch. But Shan Masood and Handscomb effected a partial recovery, staging an important alliance of 54 in 13.3 overs. The fourth-wicket partnership was beginning to flourish when Ben Charlesworth made a breakthrough with his first ball, persuading Pakistan Test captain Masood to top-edge a pull shot to deep fine leg and depart for 35 with the score 76 for 4 in the 19th.That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire. New batter Cox looked to disrupt the home side’s smooth progress from the outset, clearing the rope behind square for the first six of the innings when Matt Taylor dropped short as the Foxes reached halfway on 113 for 4.The batters managed to get on top for the first time against spinners Ollie Price and Jack Taylor, Handscomb and Cox combining excellent running between the wickets and clever placement in raising a 50 partnership from 57 balls. Averaging a half-century every four innings in List-A cricket, Handscomb went to his 42nd fifty from 76 balls, while Cox attained the same landmark via 45 deliveries with five fours and a six.Gloucestershire needed a wicket and Akhter obliged, bowling Cox to terminate a partnership that had revitalised Leicestershire. Cox had scored a run-a-ball 61 and helped establish a platform from which the visitors could launch a late assault.Matt Taylor removed Ian Holland cheaply, but there was no shifting Handscomb, the Australian going to his ninth List-A hundred by launching Akhter over long-off for six. He received staunch support from Liam Trevaskis with a quickfire unbeaten 30 from 22 deliveries in a valuable seventh-wicket alliance of 51 in 35 balls as the Foxes smashed 61 runs in the final five overs.Gloucestershire openers Bracey and Bancroft were initially circumspect in the face of the new-ball threat. But Bracey soon warmed to his task, greeting Tom Scriven with a pick-up for six over midwicket and a pull for four next ball as the home side advanced to 47 without loss at the end of 10 overs. So dominant was Bracey, that Bancroft contributed just seven runs to the 50 partnership.Bracey went to an authoritative half-century from 58 deliveries, reaching that landmark with his ninth four, causing Handscomb to turn to spin. The opening partnership had realised three figures before the Foxes made the breakthrough they so desperately needed, Bancroft edging a catch behind off Chris Wright in the 20th over.Ollie Price proved adept at rotating the strike thereafter and Gloucestershire were well-placed on 134 for 1 at the halfway stage, requiring a further 152 at 6.1 an over. These two posted a 50 partnership from 65 balls, but Price fell for 29, hitting Green straight to Handscomb at midwicket.Green then struck a telling blow, having Bracey held at deep square leg, at which point Gloucestershire still needed 108 to win with two new batters at the crease. Charlesworth hit a quickfire 19, only to succumb to a leg-side strangle as Green made another important intervention.Sensing an opportunity, Leicestershire kept up the pressure and Trevaskis dismissed Joe Phillips for 14 to further reduce the home side, still 61 short of their target with nine overs remaining.Boorman helped himself to a six and a four off Holland, but Gloucestershire’s task was made harder when Green accounted for Jack Taylor and Akhter with successive deliveries in the 46th over.Miles hit a straight six off Green and Boorman repeated the feat off Trevaskis as the eighth wicket pair held their nerve. Miles hit the winning six in the penultimate over.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared what’s impressed him most about teenager Andre Harriman-Annous after the Hale End graduate’s senior debut against Brighton on Wednesday.

The Gunners extended their unbeaten run to 11 in all competitions whilst booking a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after their victory over Brighton.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Goals from fellow youngster Ethan Nwaneri and star winger Bukayo Saka handed Arsenal a routine win at the Emirates Stadium, despite summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga being forced into a string of early saves to deny the Seagulls, who threatened to break through first.

The headlines initially belonged to Max Dowman, after the 15-year-old became Arsenal’s youngest ever starter.

Dowman showed flashes of brilliance on the right-hand side in place of Saka and the injured Noni Madueke, who’s believed to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his recovery from a knee injury.

However, once the teenager was hauled off Saka, and Harriman-Annouss replaced Declan Rice, attention turned towards the latest in a long queue of star-studded talents from the Hale End production line.

Harriman-Annous, who bagged 18 goals in 37 games for the Under-21s last season, has been a regular in first-team training at London Colney with Arteta taking note.

The England Under-18 international can feel hard done by that he didn’t mark his first senior appearance for the club with a goal too, having watched Jason Steele save his one-v-one effort before Saka dispatched the rebound.

Arteta shares what's impressed him about Harriman-Annous after Arsenal debut

It was a night to remember for Harriman-Annous, with Arteta explaining in a post-match press conference why he finally gave the youngster a chance to shine at N5.

Arsenal’s boss explains that Harriman-Annous has impressed him with a fierce mentality and work ethic behind-the-scenes, with the versatile centre-forward desperate to make an impact.

Arsenal supporters have plenty of reasons to feel excited about Harriman-Annous after his debut against Brighton.

Stepping onto the pitch in a high-stakes cup match is no small feat, and the teen showed glimpses of the potential that has impressed coaches throughout his development.

His composure and confidence stood out. He demonstrated good technical skills and an understanding of the game that belies his age. For a young player making his first senior appearance, showing such calmness under pressure is a promising sign of future growth.

Harriman-Annous made the bench against Liverpool in August, and if he continues to seize his opportunities like he did against Brighton, it’s only a matter of time before he makes his first Premier League outing.

That was certainly an entertaining game, but not for the reason Chelsea would’ve been hoping for.

Enzo Maresca’s side travelled to Baku to take on Qarabağ in the Champions League, but instead of building on their derby win at the weekend, they drew 2-2.

While there were a few players who looked good on the night, such as Estevao, most of the team played seriously poorly.

In fact, some of the team, like Jorrel Hato, have almost certainly played themselves out of the team for the Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Hato's dire display vs Qarabağ

When Chelsea signed Hato from Ajax in the summer, there was considerable excitement from the fanbase, as the 19-year-old is regarded as one of the best young defenders in world football.

After all, before the move, he had already made over 100 appearances for the Amsterdam side and won six senior caps for the Netherlands.

However, even with this experience, he’s years away from being in his prime years, and so there was an expectation that he would make mistakes for the Blues, and unfortunately, that is what happened on Wednesday night.

Appearances

111

Starts

102

Minutes

9121′

Goals

4

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.11

Minutes per Goal Involvement

701.61′

Points per Game

1.86

For Qarabağ’s first goal, the Dutchman was outmuscled and left on the floor for the first shot and then out of the way entirely for the rebound.

Now, one mistake in a game can be down to bad luck and happen to anyone.

Unfortunately, it was the teenager who, via a handball, gave away the penalty for the hosts’ second goal just ten minutes later.

In all, it was, as one content creator put it, a “horror” showing from Hato on Wednesday and one that should see him dropped for Saturday.

Unfortunately for Maresca, other starters also played themselves out of the team.

The Cheslea star who played himself out of the team

There really are a few players you could name here, such as Hato’s defensive partner, Tosin Adarabioyo, who looked just as inexperienced at the back.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, in this instance, the starter who has to be on the bench for Wolves on the weekend is Tyrique George.

The Cobham graduate was preferred to Marc Guiu and Liam Delap from the start on Wednesday night, and unfortunately, he did not repay the manager’s faith in him.

In his defence, he did not make a mistake that cost the side a goal, but he also did nothing to help them score one, which, given his position and the opposition, is just as bad.

In fact, the youngster was so anonymous that Maresca decided to hook him at halftime, and while Liam Delap didn’t set the world alight either, he was at least noticeable when the Blues had the ball.

That might sound overly harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by football.london’s Bobby Vincent, who gave the Englishman a 5/10 match rating and generously described it as ‘a fairly quiet evening’ for the striker.

Unfortunately, his statistics don’t make for pleasant reading either, as in 45 minutes of inaction, he produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.22, took a single shot which was blocked, took just 13 touches – 26 fewer than Robert Sanchez – lost the ball four times and completed just six passes.

Minutes

45′

Expected Goals

0.05

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.17

Assists

0

Shots on Target

0

Touches

13

Lost Possession

4

Passes Completed

6/7

Dribbles

0

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Ultimately, George isn’t a bad player, but he was utterly anonymous against Qarabağ and, therefore, must be dropped for the Wolves game.

Enzo Maresca makes January claim with Chelsea star "out for a while" through injury

The west Londoners could be without him until 2026.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 5, 2025

The ripples from the Juan Soto record contract continue to spread. With the cost of keeping outfielder Kyle Tucker soaring because of it, the Houston Astros must give more consideration to trading him before he enters his platform season heading into free agency. That market is heating up, with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees engaged in conversations with Houston.

Tucker turns 28 in January, making him three years older than when Soto entered his platform season. (Never discount Soto’s age in his value. The Pirates just gave up three pitchers for a platoon first baseman who is than Soto in Spencer Horwitz, 27.) Tucker is not the hitter Soto is when it comes to plate discipline. But he is the better defender and runner and is growing into Soto-level power.

Like Adrian Gonzalez, Shawn Green and Tino Martinez, Tucker is a lefthanded hitter who’s adding power as he ages by learning to hit the ball in the air to the pull side. Check out his fly ball rates in the past four years:

Year

Fly ball rate

2021

33.5%

2022

37.7%

2023

32.7%

2024

41.3% (career high)

He projects to be a steady 30–40 home run hitter and .550 slugger who strikes out below the major league rate and walks above it. Add in premier defense and the ability to steal 30 bases and you have a rare player. Over the past four seasons, for instance, Tucker is one of only four players to average 25 homers and 20 stolen bases. The others are Shohei Ohtani, Francisco Lindor and José Ramirez.

What is his free agent value? Start with this snapshot of player stats from 2021–24 as your guide:

Player

Age

WAR

SLG

OPS+

AAV

Juan Soto

22–25

26.0

.520

164

$51.0M

Mookie Betts

28–31

23.8

.527

145

$30.4M

Kyle Tucker

24–27

21.2

.527

145

TBD

Corey Seager

27–30

19.2

.524

143

$32.5M

It’s easy to imagine Tucker at a $35 million AAV over 10 years, given the rate of Soto inflation. Now imagine you are the Astros. You’re looking at trying to keep free agent third baseman Alex Bregman away from the Yankees, with money burning a hole in New York’s pocket, and you have Tucker and staff ace Framber Valdez entering their walk years. And from ages 27–30, Valdez (55–30, 3.08 ERA, 112 starts, 132 ERA+) is in Max Fried’s neighborhood (47–25, 2.87 ERA, 101 starts, 147 ERA+).

Tucker, Bregman and Valdez have $700-$800 million in value. No wonder this market can cause the Astros to pivot quickly while still fielding a contender.

On Friday, pitcher Jeff Hoffman returned to the team that drafted him—signing a three-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays on the heels of an All-Star season.

However, reports suggest Hoffman could easily have wound up with a division rival.

"Hoffman and the Baltimore Orioles reached an agreement on a three-year, $40 million contract earlier this week, sources say," Robert Murray of FanSided wrote Friday evening. "The Orioles, however, flagged Hoffman’s physical—two sources say it was his right shoulder."

Hoffman's contract with the Blue Jays is said to be worth $33 million, a $7 million reduction from what he would've made had his reported agreement with Baltimore gone through.

With the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024, Hoffman posted the best numbers of his career during his age-31 season. He went 3-3 with a 2.17 ERA and 89 strikeouts and 66 1/3 innings, making his first All-Star team.

Hoffman—who Toronto traded for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki way back in 2015—has also spent time with the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds in his nine-year career.

As fans clad in red and blue danced in the Sharjah aisles, the result was a foregone conclusion: Zishan Morata was the last man out, caught in the deep by Karan KC, and West Indies had been bundled out for 83. Three days ago, Nepal had never played a T20I series against a Full Member nation. Now, they had sealed it 2-0, with one match to spare.West Indies struggled to move beyond single-digits in the powerplay. Only thanks to a boundary in the sixth over did they reach 16 for 2. By then, Dipendra Singh Airee had scalped the first wicket when he bowled Jewel Andrew (2), while Kushal Bhurtel had taken a stunning catch at cover to send back Keacy Carty (1).Nepal’s vice grip over the scoring rate was the result of their slower balls and full deliveries in the blockhole, with their quicks often marrying the two to great effect. An inexperienced West Indies unit kept mistiming their shots on a pitch where none of their batters, barring Jason Holder’s 15-ball 21, played with any degree of comfort. Eight-three all out represents the former T20 World Champions’ sixth-lowest total. The 90-run defeat is their joint fourth-biggest by runs.Medium pacer Mohammad Aadil Alam – who ended with figures of 4 for 24 – was the next bowler to get on the scorecard, thanks to the biggest point of difference between the two sides: Nepal’s fielding. Nineteen-year-old Gulsan Jha’s diving catch at sweeper cover in the eighth over bettered their previous effort, and sent Kyle Mayers back after a sluggish 6 off 16 balls.The going never got better for West Indies, as they kept losing wickets in the middle overs and found gaps in the field plugged by a Nepal team who threw themselves at the ball. Alam sent back Ackeem Auguste (17) and Amir Jangoo (16) in back-to-back overs. By then, West Indies had slipped to 63 for 5 and the required rate had leaped to above 13.Kushal Bhurtel took three wickets to mop off the West Indies tail•ICC/Getty Images

Bhurtel added to his contributions in the field with a three-for that swept up the tail. Holder – the last nominal hope for West Indies – fell to Lalit Rajbanshi in the 17th over, when Jha took his second screamer of the day. Soon after, Bhurtel came back to toss up a legbreak and fount it caught on the outfield once again. This was a day when West Indies kept finding fielders at the rope instead of clearing them.Earlier in the day, Nepal’s own innings had been one of two distinct halves: in the first ten, they did not hit a single six, but opener Aasif Sheikh had established a burgeoning partnership with Sundeep Jora, and a productive powerplay had taken them to 74 for 3 at the midway point of the innings.In the next ten, the pair raced away and put on what would end up being a 100-run partnership. Jora’s 39-ball 63 eventually ended in the 18th over. He had hit five of the nine sixes Nepal hit in the second half of the innings.Sheikh remained unbeaten on 68 off 47 himself. At the other end, Alam’s 5-ball 11 took Nepal’s total to 173. Alam was playing his first match for Nepal after more than three years, having last appeared for them in August 2022. His cameo would become a footnote to his starring role in the second innings.It would also overshadow the efforts of West Indies’ best bowler on the day – their captain Akeal Hosein – who took 2 for 21 and had reduced Nepal to 14 for 2 in the fourth over. However, any hopes of a rally after their loss in the first T20I were soon left far behind, as his team slipped to 83 all out – the lowest total by a Full Member team against an Associate nation – as well as a 90-run loss – the biggest margin by which an Associate team has defeated a Full Member nation.What makes this result more significant is that Nepal have secured it ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers next month, and in the absence of their lead spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who has sat out both matches of the series. Nepal coach, Stuart Law, said Lamichhane excused himself citing personal reasons.Nepal now know they will be favourites to win the third and final match of the series, to be played on Tuesday, having sealed the most significant series win in their cricket history.